A New Leaf

I used this predominantly for a overnight train trip to Seattle. Had a sleeper car without wifi or internet so I used my portable DVD player to run movies. I always liked this particular movie and I was not disappointed in any way.

I love this movie but I hate myself for loving it because it brought great heartache to director/writer/star Elaine May when the studio whittled down her lengthy cut into a more palatable 90-minute version.Apparently, May was rough to work with...from a studio perspective. Her background in improv probably explains why she liked to shoot a lot of takes and coverage...I imagine she was trying to create and capture tiny moments brimming with life.On the other hand, when years later Warren Beatty tried to create an opportunity for Elaine May to work without studio interference, we end up with Ishtar. So maybe Elaine May needs some checks and balances to tease out her best work. (I think it’s great that she won the Tony at 87 for The Waverly Gallery. So glad I got to see this comedy legend live on stage. She was great!)But I love “A New Leaf” even if it doesn’t represent May’s full intentions and vision. In some ways, it’s of its time. It favors long meandering scenes that may test the patience of modern viewers but in taking its time, these scenes achieve many beautiful comedic moments. In other ways it still feels bold, sophisticated, and timeless.It’s also occasionally messy with a few brief fantasy sequences that come from nowhere (but are actually flashes of the subplot the studio removed), and a rushed ending. It’s all forgivable.This is really the story of Henry (Matthau), a rich but helpless scoundrel who tries to woo and marry a wealthy heiress when his trust fund runs out. Henry is so helpless, his butler dresses him. And he doesn’t understand a thing about money which is why he finds himself broke.In the process of scheming his way back into the lifestyle to which he is accustomed, Henry changes — largely because his meal ticket, Henrietta (May), is even more helpless than he is and because he defends her from an even bigger scoundrel played to perfection by Jack Weston. By becoming Henrietta’s caretaker for all the wrong reasons, Henry inadvertently becomes a better version of himself. He transforms.While that underlying story is rather sweet, there’s nothing sentimental about May’s execution as director or her portrayal of the clumsy and absent-minded Henrietta. Meanwhile, there’s nothing outwardly likable about Henry and his singleminded plot and yet Matthau makes us root for him anyway because...well, who can resist that craggy, sad, droopy hound dog cartoon face?The print is pristine. There’s a version with bonus features I didn’t know about until after buying this one. If you like extras, check out that one.

I saw this movie a couple of times many years ago and for some reason it came up in conversation. So I watched it again. It's a little slower than I remembered, and one part seems a little over the top, but it's a fun movie. I like the way Walter starts out as a bum and you get to watch him grow into his role and realize his capabilities. That's a modern theme!Spoiler alert:My favorite part of the movie comes when Walter Matthau gets rid of the servants. The Elaine May character asks, "Did they mind?" And he says, "We didn't vote."One of those classic exchanges.

"A New Leaf" (1971) starring Walter Matthau and Elaine May is one of best screwball romantic comedies ever made.The story is based on a short story by Jack Ritchie titled "The Green Heart" and Elaine May wrote the movie script, directed and starred in the movie.By far, this is her best movie of all time.The movie presents a "poor little rich boy" meets "poor little rich girl" story, and follows the two into an unlikely marriage and a story which ends happily, even though the lovable villain, Walter Matthau playing "Henry Graham" does not have good or honest intentions, and does not intend to remain married to his new wife. (He plans to become a widower taking his new wife's fortune, but at the last moment, changes his mind and his life, and the two literally go off together into a beautiful sunset....a heartwarming ending rare and almost corny, but very welcome).The movie depends very much on the two main players, and the viewer comes to like them both very much as the story unfolds.Other supporting actors in the movie are also lovable and wonderful, and very funny.A really good movie has likable characters the viewer befriends from the very beginning of the film, and which characters remain lovable throughout.There are no true villains in good movies, and current era movies (2013) often make the mistake of foisting villains of such ugliness and brutal, violent character no onlooker could ever like them.The movie suffers when this happens, and the fact that despicable people exist in the world and have over history does not justify putting such people into the movies as characters.No movie can be edifying when such people are portrayed, no matter how skillfully.A good movie is edifying.That is true of all good art in any and all fields and categories of art."A New Leaf" (1971) is a gratifying example of an edifying movie where all portrayed, large and small roles, major and minor roles, are wonderful and memorable.It's a movie which makes the viewer feel good, and makes him/her glad for having spent time watching the movie.....and glad to return to it for many repeat screenings.Very, very few works of cinematic art are like this. That is why "A New Leaf" (1971) really is a treasure. Other classic screwball romantic comedies of fame, good for the same reasons "A New Leaf" (1971) is good and thus worth getting and scsreening often, include "His Girl Friday" (1939) and "Lovers And Other Strangers" (1970).-------------Tex (David) Allen is a SAG-ACTRA accredited movie actor. Visit the IMDb website for details about him.

First saw this film sometime in the 70's and have been trying to get a decent copy for years before I saw this version. First of all, it is a remarkable film starring Matthau as a psychopathic spoilt brat and Elaine May as the lovable, seemingly naive heiress whom the former has his greedy eyes upon. I have never hated a character more than the one Matthau plays (such a good actor) , possibly because I have never loved one so much as Elaine May depicts. Despite all this it is a wildly humorous, beautifully crafted and amusing film with lots of other good actors besides; Matthau's butler for instance is amazing. It is one of my favourite films of all time with a surprising (even after several viewing) and enlightened ending... In short... love it!!!

I have to say that I've had a soft spot for this comedy film for many years. This is not a laugh out load movie for me but a slow burn. Its sad that Elaine May (who directed, starred in and wrote the movie) was so unhappy with the way it turned out, heavily cut by the studio. It would have been nice to have seen her version as an option on this disc, but I suppose the usual problems with copywrite and just a lack of original prints would have made that difficult if not impossible. Incidentally, I was so impressed by the scene with Henry's uncle using an electric pepper grinder I spent large parts of the 70s looking for one! Sad eh.Picture and sound track are ok but not spectacular, but as this movie has been almost impossible to get in any form for years, it good to see it out there in any shape or form.

one of my all time favs and not well known over here.. yes its reg a, so be warned, but if youve a reg a player then buy it...you wont be disappointed

I rate this as one of Walter Matthau's best movies. Without giving away the plot it concerns a playboy whose money runs out and has never worked a single day in his life and how he "conquers" this. Up with "The Fortune Cookie aka Meet Whiplash Willie" and "The Odd Couple" although without the great Jack Lemon. My only gripe is that it comes as both standard DVD and Blue Ray versions and is needlessly expensive but that does not detract from the quality of the movie.

A masterpiece, one of the most underappreciated comedies of the 70's given justice on a Blu Ray with an amazing transfer. Keep up the good work Master of Cinema now get onto Micky and Nikey and the Heartbreak Kid which are Elaine Mays other 70's works and are unreleased on home video in the UK